Making a phone call

Making a phone call in English can be intimidating, so here are some phrases to help you. Once you’ve made the call and someone answers, you will need to tell them who you are. Use Hello, it’s … (here). Hello Mr Hall, it’s Alex Ronaldson here. Hello, it’s Marie. Can… Read More

Using the Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary to Develop Vocabulary Building Skills

The Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary is more than a source for the definition of words, it is also a tool for improving vocabulary skills through understanding the many prefixes and suffixes used in English words. Both students of English as an additional language and those who have spoken English… Read More

Spanish word of the week: capital

This week’s Spanish word of the week is 'capital'. Read More

Learning Italian: Lifestyle tips (1)

Whatever country you travel to, understanding the social etiquette, the dos and don’ts, and the cultural norms of the country are just as important as learning the language. Here are a few tips for different scenarios you will likely come across in Italy – to save you from any awkward… Read More

Learning French: asking after others

Our series of French conversation blogs continues with a look at asking and responding to the question 'How are you?' Read More

9 weird and wonderful collective nouns

A pride of lions. A gaggle of geese. A murder of crows. The English language is full of peculiarities, but collective nouns are among the most remarkable. But what is a collective noun? Collective nouns are used to refer to a group of people or things, with some of the… Read More

Giving encouragement

To encourage someone to go somewhere more quickly or to do something more quickly, use Hurry up! or, more informally, Get a move on! Hurry up! We’ve got to be there in ten minutes! Hurry up, Mario! When you’ve finished your work, you can go out to play. Get a… Read More

Spanish word of the week: diferente

This week’s Spanish word of the week is 'diferente'. 'Diferente' is an adjective that means 'different' or 'several, various'. Read More

Traversing the language of fantasy

With fantasy dominating the bestseller lists, it’s easy to imagine that major bestsellers such as Sarah J. Maas, Rebecca Yarros, and George R.R. Martin are a 21st-century phenomenon. In reality, fantasy writing has been capturing imaginations since long before the romantasy takeover. Human history is steeped… Read More